Published: December 6, 2007

The fight for economic justice continues as members of Local 32BJ kicked off its city-wide campaign to organize private security officers. The Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, of Abyssinian Baptist Church, welcomed Local 32BJ President Mike Fishman and Reverend Johnny Ray Youngblood for its annual commemoration of the life and work of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

“Honoring the legacy of Adam Clayton Powell means continuing his fight for social and economic justice,” said Mike Fishman, Local 32BJ President. “It is unfair that these men and women risk their lives protecting million dollar buildings, but don’t make enough to support their families.”

More than 60,000 men and women in New York, mostly Black, work as private security officers. Many earn less than $10/hr; receive no affordable health care and little, if any, state-of-the-art security training.

“As leaders in this city in the fight for social and economic justice, the support of Reverend Butts and Reverend Youngblood is vital to the success of our campaign,” Fishman added.

“Local 32BJ’s campaign to raise wage and living standards is about more than 60,000 security officers – it is about New York itself,” said Reverend Calvin Butts. “The union’s campaign is our community’s campaign because it represents a unified call-to-action to pay men and women not only what they deserve, but what they need to support their families – regardless of color.”